Climate Change
Rainforests play an important part in regulating climate. Deforestation in Virunga can have a significant impact on weather patterns and temperature in the Congo, and even world wide.
The large bulk of a tree's mass is made up of carbon, meaning that forests are massive reservoirs of carbon. When the trees are burned, the carbon is released into the atmosphere, creating a greenhouse effect, which raises temperature. Trees also regulate precipitation. In the Congo River Basin, 75-96% of rainfall is generated by the forest itself through evapotranspiration. If large amounts of trees are cut down, this means rainfall patterns will change.
The large bulk of a tree's mass is made up of carbon, meaning that forests are massive reservoirs of carbon. When the trees are burned, the carbon is released into the atmosphere, creating a greenhouse effect, which raises temperature. Trees also regulate precipitation. In the Congo River Basin, 75-96% of rainfall is generated by the forest itself through evapotranspiration. If large amounts of trees are cut down, this means rainfall patterns will change.
Rocks and Soil
Deforestation leads to soil exposure, as there are less plants to cover the ground. When topsoil has nothing to hold it down, it erodes quickly and can create dust storms.
